Covid-19: Churches in twin cities conduct unique fourth Sunday of Advent events

HYDERABAD: A festive spirit pervaded the last Sunday before every Christmas. Many churches in the twin cities have been celebrating pre-Christmas events, albeit on a cautious note because of the Coronavirus. Given the backdrop, some churches have come up with innovative events to the delight of the devout.

A church has drawn up a unique celebration especially aimed at spreading the festive spirit among the senior citizens, who are restricted from attending church services.

As part of the celebrations, volunteers from the church door-delivered dinner so that the elderly could feel as being a part of the festivities. Another church staged a play ‘Not So Silent Night’.

Capt. Alwyn Menezes, a member of St Anthony’s Church, Gandhinagar, Ramakrishnapuram, said “As it is last Sunday of Advent, the church had more carols and special songs. Because of Covid-19, most season events have been shelved. However, we had a feel of Christmas during the regular service.”
St Francis Xavier’s Church in Yapral celebrated semi-Christmas on Sunday wherein families got together and enjoyed nativity play, carols and the Christmas message.

The event was organised in the adjacent school’s open premises with thrust on social distancing, said parish priest Fr M.M. Kennedy.

John Wesley Methodist Church at Gouthamnagar in Malkajgiri celebrated candlelight service on Sunday. Ramya Pranuthi from the church said, “As those over 60 years of age have been barred from entering the church, we made them attend online service. We also had our volunteers deliver dinner in their houses. While having dinner, they interacted with us, thanks to Zoom.”

Shobha Rani Yerrola, from the same church, said, “Youth, women and children wings of the church organized the event, which had an overwhelming number of musical themes. During the service we collected gifts from each member, which will be later sent to under- privileged and deprived sections.”
B. Josline Paul said “Since the pandemic is still prevalent, the programme was held on two floors of the building, to ensure that all Covid-19 precautions are in place.”

Pastor Sumanth Perumalla of Hope Unlimited Church said, “This Sunday, the church conducted carol service at St Mary’s College in Secunderabad. In spite of it being only one event, we converted it into two services so that people could maintain ample distance from one another.”

A church member of this congregation, David Enoch, added, “We have come up with a theatrical play this year ‘Not So Silent Night’. It portrays a young girl’s perspective of how Christmas has changed because of the pandemic.”